Area Trout Unlimited member a fly-tying sensation

OUTDOOR RAMBLINGS

Mark Vargas showcased at international symposium.

After learning how to tie flies three years ago, 16-year-old Mark Vargas of Stewartsville, N.J., got serious about it.

Vargas joined the Hokendauqua chapter of Trout Unlimited after taking the group's annual, and highly popular, fly-tying class and has not only come back for it every year, but has continued to hone his skills and craft.

Last month, he was a featured fly tier at the 2011 International Fly Tying Symposium in Somerset, N.J., where he was one of more than 100 featured tiers from the U.S., Canada, Sweden, United Kingdom, Montenegro, Switzerland and Belgium.

The local chapter of Trout Unlimited is holding its annual eight-week fly-tying course beginning Saturday, Jan. 7, 2012. The course is geared to all ages. It runs 9:30-11:30 a.m. on eight consecutive Saturdays — barring weather postponements — at the Northampton Area Middle School cafeteria on Laubach Ave. in Northampton.

Vargas, among many other local experts, will serve as an instructor at the course this winter. The cost is $30 for adults, and this year, is free to students under 18. Instruction, materials, a manual and classroom loan of tools are included.

For more information or to register, call Art Williams at 610-266-1788, Dale Ott at 610-262-7598 or search Hokendauqua trout on the Internet.

Holiday gift guide coming: Check out Wednesday's edition of The Morning Call sports section for the 2011 Holiday Gift Guide for the Outdoors. We'll give you some gift ideas in print with many, many more online on the Lehigh Valley Wild blog at http://www.mcall.com/lvwild.

Bear harvest numbers: Because of numerous requests, the preliminary numbers for the 2011 bear harvest in Pennsylvania — by Wildlife Management Unit, region and county, are also posted on the Lehigh Valley Wild blog. Take a peek to find out how many bears were legally killed in Schuylkill County this year.

Christmas Bird Count begins Wednesday: The 112th annual Christmas Bird Count of the Audubon Society will take place Dec. 14 through Jan. 5 at locations throughout the country.

Volunteers can participate in one or several "Count Circles."

Information from the counts helps researchers, conservation biologists and others study and assess long-term health and status of bird populations across North America to determine how bird populations have changed over time.

Poaching a record-book buck will cost big bucks: Scott M. Garner, 33, of Bainbridge, Lancaster County, was giddy with delight when he downed a 14-point buck on Dec. 1 in Londonderry Twp., Dauphin County. The buck had a Boone & Crockett green-score of 172.5 inches, which would have placed it in the top 25 for "typical" deer taken with a firearm in Pennsylvania.

And that's when things got a bit dicey.

Garner was found to have tagged the buck with a deer tag he had previously filled out during archery season on Oct. 31 when he killed a five-point buck.

Because it is an illegally tagged deer, it is not available for record book status. Charges of exceeding the bag limit for antlered deer in a license year were filed against Garner by Wildlife Conservation Officers Mike Doherty and John Veylupek.

Garner faces fines a fine of up to $6,500 because it was a trophy7 class deer, up to 90 days in jail and hunting and trapping license revocation for up to three years.

Deer hunters, report: Firearms deer season closed in Pennsylvania with last Saturday's hunting. Less than 40 percent of successful hunters turned in a harvest report, however.

Hunters can make their harvest report by using the postage-paid report cards that come with the 2011-12 Hunting & Trapping Digest, and also by calling toll free 1-855-724-8681 or by going online to the game commission website at http://www.pgc.state.pa.us and clicking on the Report Your Harvest link.

First Day Hike: Some people participate in midnight runs or morning runs to commemorate New Year's Day. Instead, enjoy your evening celebration, sleep in until 9-10 a.m., and then take part in the First Day Hike at Promised Land State Park in Pike County 1-2:30 p.m. on Jan. 1, 2012.

Park volunteers Chris Perry and Geri Daley will lead a group in the first day hike, and if there is six inches or more of snow on the ground, it could turn into a snowshoe hike.

Preregistration is required, so call the park office at 570-676-4328, or email your intentions to PromisedLandsp@pa.gov. The park does have snowshoes available to borrow, but you must register for them in advance.